Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been nominated for eight more honors, including Game of the Year, at the upcoming edition of the D.I.C.E. Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences revealed the 2026 list of D.I.C.E. Award nominees, and Clair Expedition: Expedition 33 led the nomination count alongside the PS5 exclusive title Ghost of Yotei.
The latest nominations for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came months after its April 2025 launch. Following its release, Expedition 33 was widely praised for its compelling story, turn-based RPG gameplay mechanics, and unforgettable performances from its voice cast. By the end of the year, Expedition 33 won a record nine awards at the 2025 edition of The Game Awards, including the illustrious Game of the Year honor and the Best Performance award for Jennifer English’s portrayal of Maelle.
Expedition 33 Nominated For Eight D.I.C.E. Award Categories
Although Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was stripped of Game of the Year honors by the Indie Game Awards, that has not stopped Sandfall’s hit RPG from being named for more honors. On January 8, the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards nomination list was fully revealed by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS). Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of the five titles nominated for Game of the Year. Expedition 33 joins ARC Raiders, Dispatch, Blue Prince, and Ghost of Yotei on the short list for the top D.I.C.E. honor. The 29th D.I.C.E. Awards show will be co-hosted by media personalities Greg Miller and Stella Chung. The awards will also be livestreamed from the Aria Resort in Las Vegas on Thursday, February 12, at 11:00 PM Eastern.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was also nominated in seven additional D.I.C.E. Award categories, including Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Role-Playing Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Story. A panel of gaming industry peers selected the D.I.C.E. Awards nominees, and voting remained open for all AIAS members to send their choices via email as of this writing. This year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei lead the way with eight D.I.C.E. Award nominations each.
Other games with multiple D.I.C.E. Award nods include Dispatch, ARC Raiders, Blue Prince, and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. The D.I.C.E. Award nominations were announced days after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was nominated for the Steam Awards’ top honors. Although Sandfall’s hit RPG did not win Game of the Year from the Steam Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was still chosen by fans for the Best Soundtrack honor. The Steam Award for Game of the Year instead went to Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Expedition 33’s Success Has a Ripple Effect
Following its historic victory at The Game Awards, Sandfall Interactive surprised Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players by shadow dropping a free update on all available platforms. Expedition 33‘s aptly-named Thank You Update included a new endgame dungeon called Verso’s Drafts for players to fully delve into, along with some new costumes and weapons for each character to utilize. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s free December update also included localization for Spanish and other languages, along with some challenging boss battles that tested players’ parrying skills and knowledge of the game’s Pictos and Luminas.
Despite all the accolades that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received since its arrival, developer Sandfall Interactive is not resting on its laurels. The French-based studio is already working on other game projects, though details about them remain elusive. Despite the newfound pressures that came with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s success, Sandfall said it would continue to follow its mantra of following its instincts and being guided by personal taste when it comes to development. Time will tell when Sandfall’s follow-up to Expedition 33 will see the light of day.
29th Annual D.I.C.E Awards Finalists (January 8, 2026)
Game of the Year
- ARC Raiders
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yotei
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost Of Yotei
- The Midnight Walk
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Esquie
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Maelle
- Dispatch – Courtney/Invisigal
- Dispatch – Robert Robertson III/Mecha Man
- Ghost Of Yōtei – Atsu
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost Of Yotei
- Herdling
- Mario Kart World
- Sword of the Sea
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
- Arc Raiders
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost Of Yotei
- Lumines Arise
- Split Fiction
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Consume Me
- despelote
- South of Midnight
- The Drifter
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Arc Raiders
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- DOOM: The Dark Ages
Action Game of the Year
- Absolum
- Arc Raiders
- DOOM: The Dark Ages
- Hades II
- Ninja Gaiden 4
Adventure Game of the Year
